Why I Am Celebrating

by Abby on October 6, 2014

See that photo? That’s a bottle of bubbly I bought myself. (It’s Prosecco, aka “Champagne on a budget.”) I am drinking it out of a glass that was given to me a couple years ago as a present. It’s hand-painted, with rhinestones and a tassel, and it says “Mommy’s Sippy Cup.” I’ve never used it because why drink out of a fancy wineglass you might break when you can let it gather dust in your cabinet while you sip out of a cloudy $2 stemless glass from Target? Polly Practical, that’s me.

So why did I break out the bubbly and the fancy stemware on a WEEKNIGHT, no less? You probably think I have something big to celebrate, right? A promotion or a baby? (As IF!) Nope. It was a solo, “why not?” celebration on a Thursday night. Oh, I have reasons, which I’ll list below. But really, it was a conversation with a friend that put the idea in my mind.

This friend had some exciting news that she shared with her family. Their response was underwhelming, to say the least. Has this ever happened to you? When you expected someone to celebrate with you but instead of champagne and confetti, you got flat Coke and crickets? (I mean silence, not actual insects. Which my kids would love.)

It got me thinking that it’s the EXPECTATION of other people’s reactions that’s the real issue. Expecting a parade and getting peanuts is so much worse than just getting the peanuts in the first place. (Which are actually quite tasty and protein-packed if you’re not allergic. But I’m getting off track again…) Now, I truly believe that most people aren’t selfish and mean-spirited and that’s why they don’t respond the way you would hope to big events in your life. Rather, I think most people are just preoccupied with their own lives. Everyone’s got their own stuff going on.

So that day I thought, I can buy my own damn champagne Prosecco! Why wait and hope for other people to celebrate with me when I can celebrate on my own, just because? So I did. I popped the cork and filled up my sippy cup because:

My kids were at soccer practice with their dad and I didn’t have to make dinner for anyone.

The QUIET. My whine-ringing ears soaked up the glorious absence of sibling fighting.

We finally got our car back. It was stolen from in front of our house almost 2 mos. ago, on the eve of a road trip up north to celebrate my in-laws’ 50th anniversary. (Talk about a reason to celebrate!) There’s nothing quite like being awakened at 2:30am by police banging on your door and discovering your car has been stolen to remind you that you live in the setting of “The Wire.”

I didn’t get a parking ticket. My son was late getting out of school that day and we dashed back to our finally recovered vehicle to find a cop writing a ticket for the car parked right in front of ours. Shouldn’t she be out catching car thieves and drug dealers?!

Though I don’t always subscribe to the “life is short” philosophy, the thought did occur to me as I purchased the wine — from a store owned by a beloved local shopkeeper who passed away recently at age 50. He’s the guy who gave me a bunch of corks for my poorly planned cork wreath a while back.

Also, I read an article about a breast cancer survivor who said her signature cocktail is now champagne. Whenever anyone asks what she’s celebrating, she replies, “Life.” I love that. So let’s raise a glass, shall we? Cheers! I’d love to hear what you have to celebrate in your life.

SHOUT OUTS O’ THE DAY: I do have some legitimate things to celebrate, FYI, just so you know this isn’t all an excuse to justify drinking on a school night. Big congrats to my 2 pals who are expecting babies, and to my soul-sister Angie on her 40th birthday, and to my mom on her birthday, and to my hubs on our 11th anniversary this week! I’m gonna have to buy some more Prosecco.

I need to take a page out of your book. I’ve been thinking lately that all my “celebrating” involves leaping with all limbs into more work–and as much as I love, love, love my work, I really should just chill once in a while–while the kids are not around! Right?

Abby, I admit I opened this up expecting big news, but it think this is even better. I read an article just today that said when people stop to think about (or in your case, celebrate) three good or happy things that happened to them in a day for just one week, the happy effects can last up to six months. Hey, it’s worth a shot to try, right? 🙂

Thank you for the birthday wishes! I’m late to this post, and up late on a Friday, watching Friends reruns and enjoying the moment. We drink Cook’s all the time. In fact, our friends introduced us to Champagne Sundays. A splash of OJ and suddenly you’re just celebrating because… champagne. (okay, sparkling wine but whatevs)